Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-06-26
WASHINGTON.
Old and Tried Clerks Fail in the Civil
Service Examination In the
Quartermaster-G Gents Office.
Secretary Fairchild Directs the Payment
of July Interest on Checks and Oou'
pons Upon Presentation.
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.

WASHINGTON, June 25.-Nothing au-
thentic can be learned about the recent
examination for promotion in the Quar-
termaster. Generals Office under the new
civil service rules, but there is well
founded report sfost which receives Gre
dence in department circles that out of
thirty-eight clerks examined but ten
passed the examination successfully. 1t
is SAID correct answers to many OF
the questions asked would in no
way show the efficiency OF the clerks, and
that these very questions, which would
be easy enough for 8 young man or
woman fresh from school, were the
greatest stumbling blocks 10 the older
clerks who had been promoted for eff
fciencY. The clerks begin to feel
there is no doubt that the examina-
lions will afford ample opportunity for
the discharge of sll employees whose serv-
ices are 10 be dispensed with at the end
of the fiscal year in accordance with the
law. Indeed, it is said that the civil serV-
ice commission will soon be called upon
TO designate scholarly but inexperienced
persons TO ill the places Of tried and eff
hCient clerks, who are somewhat rusty in
arithmetic and geography.
TO PAY july INTEREST.
WASHINGTON, June 25.-Secretary
F&irchild this afternoon telegraphed to
all the assistant tTeaSuTers directing the
payment OF July interest on checks and
coupons upon presentation. Many of the
interest checks for re gisteTed bonds were
mailed in advance in anticipation of this
aCtiOn 50 as to facilitate their payment.
The effect will be to release from the sub
treasury about $4,000, 600. The remain
der Of tle interest checks will be mailed
to-day. Similar action heretofore has
been taken by the Department whenever
occasion demanded, but 1t sometimes
happened that authority for their pay
ment before maturity was withheld.
SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION ORDERED.
WAsHINGToN, June 25.-InstructiOns
have been given 70 Post Assistant Sur
geon GuiteTas of the marine hospital
service, who is row in Key West, to make
a scientific Investigation Of the nature of
the disease prevailing in thai city,
especially with reference 10 the spec
troscopic condition OF the blood. 1t is
Co expected that the refuge station to be es-
tablshed al EgmGnt, n Y, will be ready
for use next week. A large number of
tents will be transferred from New Or
leans 10 the station.
THE FURRY OVER IN CHICAGO.
WASHINGTON, June 25.-rhe acting
comptroller of curr+ ncv has received a
telegram from Bank Examiner SturgeS
saying that affairs n Chicago have re
sGrned their normal condition and that
the management of the American En-
change Nati0nSl Bank is honest and re-
liable, ana that depositors are well pro-
eected
MRS. CLEVELAND IN WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON, June 25.-COlOnel Is
mont and Mrs. Cleveland arrived in
Washington at 9:30 O'Clock this morning,
end proceeded direct to the White House.
Mrs Cleveland is in the best of health,
anG is enthusiastic over the pleasant time
spent among her school friends in New
York state.
TO RAISE THE STANDARD.
WAsHINGToS, June 25.-The se-re-
tariCs OF the local civil service boards at
several OF the larger cities called here TO |
confer with the Civil Service Commission /
with view to establishing uniform svs- |
TEN Ct examinations thTcUghOutthe COun- |
try and 10 exchange views upon queS !
tons affecting the civil service |
system, concluded tneir conference |
this afternoon. One of the most |
important questions discussed was one |
Of amending the present rules so as to |
provide for the examination and the !
marking Ct papers OF applicants for posi- |
tpnS snYwhere Ia the customs |
or postal service oV the pres |
ent central board of examination |
located in Washington enlarged bv per
msnent detsIl Of one or more efficient Off |
GERS from each Of the more import !
ant local Offices in the country. |
1t is claimed that by this |
system OF examining psDeTS, uniformity |
N marking, and greater promptness would |
be secured, and that it WOULD;
relieve the system of all suspicion even |
q favoritiSm, as the sppffants
would be known here on.y by Number,
the name IN no instance being permitted K
to accompany the papers. 1t is slsa4
said that in view of their other duties7
the time at the disposal OF the present
examining boards for the purpose of
passing upon and marking examination
papers is entirely inadequate. Mr.. Ma
son, secretary of the New York post
office board, and MIR. Donovan on
the Chicago custom house bOsrd, were
appointed q committee TO present in
writing the views Of the secretaries
upon this subject. The secretaries
Unanimously favored raising the minimum
standard of eligible certificates from 65
o IS, except SIS 70 such places as require
special or technical qualifications. They
also favored the diScontin-
CsBce of the forty.fve year
'isatation as to the sge Of clerks in gen
eBs., except n specisl cases, and also
g raise the minimum limitation on the
sss q letter carriers from sixteen to
.Eel,Y-oDe. These views, 1t Is said, are
sIs-e3 in - me civil seTvice commission
VINO viii plsCe the MISTER before the
res ceu. for mis- approval!